Prepare to stay warm if the power goes out. Freezing rain, ice, and snow can topple trees and knock down power lines. Be ready with our power outage preparedness tips:
- Build or restock your emergency preparedness kit. Include a flashlight, batteries, water, food, prescription medication, cash, first aid supplies, and extra clothing, blankets or sleeping bags to stay warm.
- Have all your personal/family info written down somewhere so you can Grab It and Go in case you have to leave or shelter-in-place.
- If you rely on anything that is battery-operated or power dependent like a medical device, determine a backup plan.
- Locate the manual release lever of your electric garage door opener and know how to operate it.
- Keep your car’s gas tank full. Gas stations rely on electricity to power their pumps.
- If you use your car to re-charge devices, do NOT keep the car running in a garage, partially enclosed space, or close to your home. This can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Close off unused rooms in your home to consolidate and retain heat.
- The power may be out for a prolonged period. Plan to go to another location (the home of a relative or friend, or a public facility) that has heat.
- Only use generators outside, away from your home and NEVER run a generator inside a home or garage, or connect it to your home’s electrical system.
- Remember, emergency preparedness and resiliency are the keys to your family’s safety in a natural/manmade disaster. Be self-reliant.
